Nordstrom Opening at Ridgedale

More than four years after Nordstrom first announced its intent to open at Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka, it's actually going to happen. The announcement this morning comes just one day after Macy's revealed its plans to consolidate its two Ridgedale stores under one roof in early 2014, and add on 84,000 square feet, bringing its total size to 284,000 square feet. Construction will begin in June. Nordstrom, which will be smaller at 138,000 square feet, plans to open in the fall of 2015.
This is by far the best thing that could happen to Ridgedale, which, these past several years, has been lucky for its ferociously loyal shopping base and choice demographics. Similar to Southdale's dark days—although not nearly as bad—Ridgedale suffered neglect while its owner, General Growth Properties, was digging out of bankruptcy from 2009 to 2010. The economy hasn't helped since, nor did the added competition, albeit not direct, from Arbor Lakes to the north and Shops at West End to the east. Ridgedale doesn't have a movie theater, like Southdale and Rosedale, nor does it have enough restaurants. Ridgedale is missing many of the hottest specialty stores that have landed at other Twin Cities malls: H&M, Madewell, Michael Kors, J. Crew...heck, Ridgedale doesn't even have a Banana Republic. What moderate to better mall doesn't have a Banana Republic?
Nordstrom is a game changer.
Even as Ridgedale has lagged in the fashion department, its vacancy rate remained one of the lowest in town because the location is so desirable, and a considerable distance from its biggest competitors, Southdale and Mall of America. A new Nordstrom and an upgraded Macy's is all the mall needed to prompt more positive changes. You can just imagine new MOA stores like Henri Bendel and Athleta chomping at the bit now to get in.
When I spoke (and complained a little) to Ridgedale General Manager Joan Suko just before the holidays, she hinted at this excitement to come, but was also candid about other improvements she knows are needed. Chief among them: more and better restaurants. "We understand and know that's an important factor we've been under serving," Suko said. "It's an ongoing priority. We've been a bit inhibited by space and design." And those will continue to be challenges for Ridgedale, as they are for Southdale—those corridors to nowhere can be deadly. But when the path leads to Nordstrom, which has been hugely successful in this market at MOA, you know more good things are in store.